A number of tweaks were made to streamline Growlanser IV for PSP too. The game supports data install for faster loading times. There is also a message skip feature, which could come in handy for fans searching for other routes. Atlus also modified the battle system so the game’s tempo is up for the entire run.

New characters breath new life into the story, Game Star says, before mentioning Satoshi Urushihara, character designer, drew a large number of additional characters. So far, Atlus announced two – D-MD and Tricia.

If anyone from Atlus is reading this, PLEASE LOCALIZE THIS GAME.
Just call it Growlanser 4 or IV, and please drop “over reloaded” in its name if possible.

Darkrise

What’s wrong with “over reloaded”?

Trotmeister

I’d say nothing except that it’s really silly.

Anyways, subtitle is not the issue here. There’s not enough demand for Growlanser outside of Japan to justify it being brought over. The release of II&III became the last nail in Working Design’s coffin, and V, localized by Atlus itself, sold poorly as well. Though that may have something to do with the game being utter crap compared to the previous ones.

Regardless, the series’ fate in the West is pretty much sealed by now, unless some new niche publisher turns up that’s willing to risk and give Growlanser another chance.

neo_firenze

Whoa there, Growlanser II&III may have been WD’s last release, but don’t blame the games for WD going under. They already had massive issues before those games released. WD not surviving was due to WD running their company badly, not due to people not appreciating Growlanser.

And Growlanser V, yeah, I do think it’s fair to say that poor sales performance had a lot to do with (a) the game being bad and getting correspondingly bad reviews and word of mouth, and (b) releasing in September 2007 in extremely limited numbers, well after after PS2 was pretty much done at retail so it was hard to find.

Growlanser IV PSP seems to address both of those issues: (a) it looks like it’s actually a good game, and (b) despite the weak state of PSP in North American retail, PSN gives a cheaper outlet to distribute the game to the significant crowd who does still support the system and its ongoing RPG releases.

Here’s hoping Atlus does localize this one.

Ladius

Those points are both noteworthy, it would really be a shame if Atlus USA were to pass on this game.

By the way, you’re both a Falcom and a Growlanser fan? I like you XD

Jirin

Growlanser Generations also came with a huge load of extras and sported about an $80 price tag. If Atlus or XSeed localizes this, it will be far cheaper to produce and will have a more sane price.

Ladius

Those are both misconceptions, even if they’ve been used in countless internet debates. SCEA’s decision to allow G2-3′s releases only as a single package (not the games’ sales) and the problem with Goemon’s localization were the main causes of WD’s demise, but the company was already in a bad situation. Moreover, according to Aksys’ Akselziys (and I think an industry insider with the actual sales data at hand know better than us) Growlanser 5 was profitable and Atlus USA choose to avoid pursuing other entries in the series for other reasons.

Trotmeister

Was it ever hinted at what those “other reasons” could be?

Ladius

Sadly he refrained from telling us more (I imagine he didn’t want to trample upon Atlus USA’s position), but seeing how the programming side of the localizations is almost always done by the Japanese team (I’m talking about small publishers like Atlus USA, NISA or XSEED, of course) maybe they had some kind of issue with Career Soft during 5′s localization.

Then again, Atlus USA has greatly reduced its localization output since two years ago, and Growlanser seems to be in the same situation as the newer Sting games or other unreleased games linked to previously localized franchises (Luminous Arc 3, for example).

Trotmeister

True, I suppose it might be that Atlus just isn’t that into TRPGs
nowadays. Though it’s even worse reason than the poor sales. It’s just
painful to see some subpar games (like Idea Factory’s crap) being
localized but really awesome ones being passed over. Hopefully, at the
very least Atlus will release Sting’s Gungnir.

2011/6/2 Disqus :

ManaKnight

I really want this game to come stateside now with these additions, but I’m really doubting it. Might just try to import.

You know, reading all of these updates is like getting a knife jammed further and further into my chest. The more I hear, the more I want to play. The more I want to play, the more I realize we’re not going to get anymore Growlanser titles.

Ladius

Don’t blame Siliconera, I bet they’re updating us so often exactly to create interest in the game and to boost the fanbase’s awareness. Maybe it will be useless, but this isn’t yet a lost cause and we can still try to move Atlus USA to consider a localization for the best Growlanser entry so far.

Considering that Growlanser is published by Atlus in Japan I don’t think there’s any concrete chance to see it localized unless we persuade Atlus USA :

Jirin

Hasn’t XSeed localized a handful of Atlus-published games though? It’s not like Namco, where all third parties get the door slammed in their face. Atlus USA gets first dibs, then if they pass, third parties get a chance.

Ladius

What games? I don’t remember any Atlus Japan title released by anyone other than Atlus USA in the west.

Maybe you’re thinking about Marvelous, since that publisher had some of its games published by both Atlus USA and XSeed (not to mention Ignition :), but that is a completely different situation.

cj_iwakura

Working Designs published Growlanser II and III.

Ladius

I was talking about the last years, the deal about Growlanser 2-3 (initially even 1)’s localization was made a decade ago in 2001 (or 2002 at the latest) and the games were released in 2004. Not only that, but since that period Atlus USA drastically increased its localization output, even if that has been lowered again in the last years.

It’s extremely unlikely that another company can translate Growlanser games at this point, so Atlus USA should be our primary target (so to speak) if we hope to promote the game.

Ladius

Wow, the new contents are really substantial :D I really hope Atlus USA localizes it, the original version was great, but having an upgraded port in English would be heavenly XD

http://thrust-the-sky.deviantart.com/ WildArms

This is how all ports should be done (that’s for you namco bandai (tales of abyss 3DS), then again, we wouldnt get the localized version if it wasnt for the fact that is exactly the same… *sigh*)

PrinceHeir

fully agree :P

Covnam

Anyone know if this game features a New Game+ option?

kupomogli

Probably. Growlanser 2 and 3 did, unless that was added in by Working Designs(I doubt it was new game plus exclusive to the US though.)

cj_iwakura

There’s more new characters than two. Atlus have shown at least four.

http://www.aksysgames.com/ Akselziys

I’m curious if the game contains the Growlanser IV Returns content as well XD

Crimson_Cloud

So, err… how many girls, that you could get an ending with, were there? In the original, I mean.

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